Set You Free

Ch. 1

 Last re-edit on 7/10/21

Recently re-edit on 8/24/23

JANUARY 18, 2016

Dear diary, right now it is 7:30 am in the morning and I am all packed for my trip to Russia. Yes, just like I set my mind to leave today and not another day less, I was going to leave after Christmas day, but for my mother's sake... I stay for her and my siblings to enjoy the Christmas holiday with them since I haven't seen them in over two years. I will be in Russia for a whole year taking photos for my art show next year that I earn for working my ass off and showing my Art teacher that I really wanted something like this for a while now. Not going to lie, this is a big challenge for me along with being away from family once again.  I believe this is my time to really start traveling more and get out and explore. Not be held down and in my shell like I used to be.  And be away from the piece of shit that I call ex-boyfriend.

At least I will be far away from him...

That is all that matters.

"SIERRA, SIERRA! Come on I am going to be late for school!" My baby brother Sean screams out to me.

"I'M COMING!" I quickly closed my diary as I threw it in my suitcase putting on my beanie as I came out of my room.

"Sierra did you forget I had school today!"

"I did... but I was busy," I said grabbing my keys. "Let go!" I said as we both walked out the front door heading towards my car.

"You're really going on this trip?" Sean asks opening the car door. "Yes... Please don't do this to me!" I said as we both entered the car, putting on our seat belts. My baby brother Sean was just this adorable little boy who was the last to complete my mother's dream family.

He was adopted from Nigeria during the Conflict in the Niger Delta in 2004. He was my mother-baby... literally her baby boy. "Sean you have to understand that this is another challenge for me... but mostly fun too! I have told all of you about it!"

"But you're going to be gone for a whole half-year.... that's crazy! That's unbelievable!" Sean screams out in the car.

"You have to not worry about me... I have gone on a trip before when I was gone away from you all for two, four months...and I call you guys every day!"

"When you had good connections! With your WiFi?"

"Sean... I am a grown-ass woman... I can do whatever I want...I am not a stupid grown-up... You think I am going to go to Russia and get drunk and off the hand!"

"Maybe!"

"Sean, really!"

"No, I am just... worry about you?" Sean said to me as I pulled up to his school. "You don't have to worry... I will call you guys every day and if I don't call I will write... trust me... I will be at a hotel...a nice one with WiFi and everything... trust me... I will be completely fine!"

Sean gave me a small smile as I kissed his forehead and we hugged each other tightly. "Ok... go,  you will be late for class, go!" I said pushing him out of the car as he ran off to class.

That was the last time I would see my baby brother.

Shaking my head I pull out of his school driveway and head back home to open the coffee shop. I pull up in the back of the house seeing my sister opening the coffee shop windows already. I got out of the car waving to her as she flipped me the bird. I unlocked the door entering as I looked at her with a big smile.